Getting out of writing procrastination cycle

Hi there, I am currently really trying to overcome my longstanding work procrastination and use my time more effectively. I am currently finishing my master’s degree and writing up my dissertation and in the autumn I am starting my PhD so this is a skill/ability that would make a real difference to my professional life, feeling good about myself and enjoying my time off more (without guilt)… My summer goal was to enjoy writing my dissertation while taking great care of myself and my rocks were 1) creating a daily schedule that works for me, 2) self-coaching 3) doing nourishing activities and enjoying summer. I am doing quite well with point 1 & 3 but stumble in terms of actually starting writing and am finding itself hard to self-coach myself on this.

I know that I work hard and can be very effective close to a deadline or when working for someone else (which I did in an academic setting for the last few years before embarking on my own PhD). I also created beliefs like that I have to have the pressure of the deadline to deliver work/that my writing ability and inspiration only kicks in when time is very tight and that this is also how my parents worked so it’s inherited. To be honest I do actually deliver good work when working at the last moment so I could potentially accept that this is just how I work and leave it. But I would love to create a healthier way of working, without the stress and wild ride of the last 48hours before the deadline when all other self-care and normal functioning go out the window. I have a tendency to live in those cycles of procrastination followed by crazy stressful activity. Despite getting results with this current unhealthy way of working I would also love to write things well ahead of the deadline to allow myself ample time to edit, rethink and review thus creating better work and enjoying the process more. I generally enjoy my work and writing but I end up self-sabotaging myself and making it much less enjoyable than it can be because of the rushing. For some reason I end up reading and researching for a very long time (so I am actually working not postponing work altogether) but can’t get myself to actually start writing well ahead of time. I am making progress and my new schedule is helping me stay focused and use time well but I still feel this deep resistance to actually starting putting words on paper well ahead of time and find it hard to coach myself on this.

Answer:

What I love about your submission is the awareness that you have about the beliefs you have cultivated about performing under pressure and that you know that you could potentially accept that this is just how you work and leave it. Both of these things are true. And the idea that there is a different way for you to approach your work is also true. Now, let’s get curious about this resistance. What is it about putting words on paper well ahead of time that creates that feeling for you? Another way to ask this is what are you resisting or pushing back on? What emerges when you answer this question? When you respond, title your submission “Getting out of writing procrastination cycle part 2.”